The Days to Follow
by octagon music
Summary: What happens after the curtain is drawn. Rachel, Luce, and Hec's lives over the next week.
1. Chapter 1: The First Night Together

**Chapter 1**

Somehow they managed to make their way to Luce's flat. Between weaving their way to the cab to fetch Luce's luggage and pay the driver, dragging the bags to Rachel's parents' car and sitting in that traffic jam for over an hour, the experience was something they would both like to forget. Luce sat on her sofa with Rachel by her side. Although spending all that time pressed up against Rachel was pretty pleasant, Luce mused.

They were both flying high on adrenaline then, and there was little they could do about it, what with Rachel's parents in the front and Ella in the back; three people sharing a seat that was meant for two. So they rested their hands in each others' laps, enjoyed each others' company and participated in conversation that got awkward- really awkward at times. And now that they were alone at last, the adrenaline has settled, replaced by thoughts. Heavy thoughts.

"How could I do this to him? How can I just stab the poor man in the heart?" Rachel murmured while gazing off into the corner of the room. "I'm not talking about this morning. Not what went on this morning. I'm not talking about us, Luce," she added, "I'm talking about everything up until now. Sometimes you just live your life without actually thinking. You don't listen to yourself. And then you wonder where you went wrong." Her voice trailed off.

"How many times did I repeat the same words. 'He's my best friend.' It never really hit me. Do you know what I said to Hec just last night?," Rachel made a sharp turn to face Luce and leaned in a bit to make her point.  
>"I told him he was my best friend, and that it's enough. That it's always been enough and will continue to be enough. <em>That <em>is how I wounded him. Because only being best friends is not enough in a marriage. I led him to think I loved him. And I did. I still do. But in a different way than he has always loved me." Rachel pulled herself into the corner of the sofa, opposite from Luce and hugged her knees to her chest. Their gaze met, and Luce saw Rachel's eyes glistening with tears. As much as she wanted to pull Rachel into a hug, she realized that Rachel needed her space right now.

"I have always loved him. Like a brother. I have always cared about him and wanted the best for him. I love him in the same way I love my sister. And I never realized that before." Then with a chuckle she added, "I said it all the time, yet I never realized it. All we were is best friends. I never knew what real love is until I met you, Luce. And I denied Hec the opportunity to find real love. I hurt him by not leaving before so he can find his true soul mate. All I wish for is that he could forgive me and that we can continue to be friends. But I won't blame him if he won't. I won't blame him if he never wants to see me again."

The tears slipped down Rachel's cheeks as she moved towards Luce and locked her in a long and comforting hug.  
>"Do you honestly think Hec will never want to see you again?" Luce asked. Rachel just hugged her tighter. She'd have to face Hec and apologize. Tomorrow. She would have to repeat this emotionally charged realization, and she wasn't up for it tonight. It was dark already anyway and she was tired out from the long day.<p>

Rachel got up from the sofa first. Once she made the decision to face Hec tomorrow and talk everything through with him, she allowed herself to enjoy her evening.  
>"So, show me around?"<br>"Oh, of course. Come on," Luce replied. But Rachel was ahead of her, already running her fingers over the beaded curtains and her eyes over the shelves filled with small floral notecards, glass vases filled with pens, pencils, paintbrushes. A single dried rose was in each vase. There were bottles of all different shapes and sizes. Some were filled with what looked to be essential oils. And there were books. Two bookshelves that reached all the way up to the ceiling and they were crammed with books. The living room reminded Rachel so much of Luce's shop and it made her smile. She looked back at the sofa they had sat on before. It was so... Luce. The fabric was dark blue corduroy. There were two different patchwork pillows and a navy throw with with small white flowers. Even the walls fit her personality. One wall was light brick. Another had dark wood paneling. The third was covered with bookshelves so that Rachel couldn't make out what the actual wall was made of. And the fourth side was open to the hallway. Rachel closed her eyes, spread her arms and walked through beaded curtain, letting the strings flow over her like a cleansing rain.

"Next stop?" She laughed.  
>That laugh warmed Luce deep inside her soul. How she loved that sound. Luce took Rachel to the kitchen, where she let her look around while Luce herself began to prepare dinner. They hadn't eaten anything since the morning, and they only realized it now. Rachel tucked her fingers into her jeans pockets and looked up at the dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. On the wall were shadow boxes with little dried herb and flower bouquets arranged inside. Her eyes drifted towards the solid wood counter where Luce had arranged vegetables to be peeled and sliced into the pan where onions were already sizzling. Rachel picked up a carrot, removed the peeler from Luce's hand and nudged her with her hip over to the cutting board. It felt so normal to be preparing food together. They worked seamlessly without exchanging even one word.<p>

They were winding down on the sofa after dinner with a glass of wine. It was evening. There was no way Rachel was going back to her flat that night. And she really wanted to avoid staying over at her parents' house, too. All that time spent with them in the car was enough to last her a while. She rolled her eyes inwardly at her parents. And she really had to think about what she'd say to H before she saw her next.  
>"Luce, may I, uh, may I spend the night? I mean just for a place to stay. I can't very well go home tonight..."<br>"Of course you're staying, Love. I didn't realize you... I just figured that was what you planned on. Don't worry about anything. I'll take the sofa."  
>"Planned on?" Rachel couldn't hold back a laugh. "I didn't plan anything that happened in my life these past few months. It's probably better this way. It's turned out better and wilder and crazier than... and considering that the last thing I actually did plan was my wedding. Guess I'm just a lousy planner," Rachel concluded with a grin, which faded slowly once she noticed the way Luce was looking at her. That stifled smile, that raised eyebrow.<p>

"And I talk too much," Rachel half whispered, placing her wine glass on a worn oak side table. Turning towards Luce, she smiled and removed her glass from her hand as well, placing it on the table near her own. Rachel raised her hand to Luce's cheek and drew her face closer. Their lips locked in a soft and gentle kiss. Rachel's hand slipped down from Luce's cheek, to her shoulder, pausing there, drawing Luce's upper body closer to her own. The hand continued down. Before it could find a place to settle, Luce enveloped Rachel's fingers inside her own and broke the kiss. They sat there, resting their heads on the back of the sofa, just looking at each other.

"You know, Rach," Luce ventured to break the silence first, "the highs and lows that I've experienced over the past few days are nothing compared to what you've had to go through." Rachel nodded slightly.  
>"And tomorrow will be hard on you as well. You have enough emotions coursing through your veins right now. I think what's best for both of us is to keep this evening emotionally bland."<br>Rachel felt the same way, and she knew Luce realized it. She smiled at Luce's choice of words.  
>They sat for a few more minutes in companionable silence.<p>

Luce left the room and returned a minute later with something in her hand.  
>"I just realized you have nothing with you to change into," she said, throwing the bundle at Rachel, who caught it against her chest at the last moment.<br>"I'll show you to the bathroom. Go get ready for bed. You need your rest."  
>Luce extended her hand. Rachel took it and pulled herself up off the sofa.<br>When they got to the bathroom, Luce hoisted herself up on the bathroom counter. She stood on her knees and rummaged in a cabinet for a bit. A few seconds later, she hopped off, presenting a packaged toothbrush to Rachel as if it were a flower.  
>"I always have a few extras up in the cabinet." She pulled out a fresh towel, hung it on a hook, patted Rachel's shoulder and left.<p>

Left alone with her thoughts for the first time since late last night when she left Hec on the sofa and went to bed, Rachel made the decision to just clear her mind and not think about anything. It was just too scary. She leaned on the edge of the sink with her palms and just looked at herself in the mirror for a long minute. Then she began to undress. Realizing that she'd need to wear these same clothes tomorrow, she folded them neatly on the edge of the counter and stepped into the shower.

Turning off her mind was easier than she thought it would be, and she lost herself in the warm pounding water and in pure oblivion. The only time her extinction was interrupted was when she massaged the shampoo into her hair. A feeling radiated subconsciously from deep inside and warmed her entire body. The smell transported her to those few seconds in the back of the flower shop when she buried her face in Luce's hair, giggling. Rachel allowed herself to smile briefly before turning to face the stream of water. She let it beat on her face in an attempt to stop her mind from progressing to the next moment, the one that followed the giggling. The moment that tore at her soul. The shampoo stung Rachel's eyes, and she made no attempt to wash it away. It was wonderfully distracting.

Rachel looked in the mirror before leaving the bathroom. The teal long sleeve shirt and grey lounge pants fit her just right. She ran her fingers over the waistband of the pants. Even Luce's pajamas had a low rise. _We're just about the same size,_ Rachel though. _Practically twins,_ she remembered with a smile as she walked out of the bathroom. She found Luce in the kitchen, washing dishes.

"Luce, may I use your brush? If I don't brush my hair while it's still wet all hope is lost. You would not want to see me then. The curse of the curls."  
>"Wouldn't I?" Luce asked, with half a smile, turning away from the sink to look at Rachel. She let her eyes sweep Rachel from head to toe. Seeing her in pajamas, hair wet, towel over her shoulders... something stirred inside Luce. This wasn't a dream, was it?<br>"Not when it dries looking like a bloody nest. Trust me," Rachel smirked.  
>Luce was still laughing at the thought when she returned, brush in hand.<p>

They stayed in the kitchen together, Luce finishing up washing dishes and Rachel battling wet tangles. Rachel broke the silence first.  
>"Aren't you tired? The dishes won't go anywhere if you don't tend to them right away."<br>"That's exactly the problem. I like the kitchen to stay clean. I don't mind; I use this time to think."  
>"What are you thinking about now, then?" Rachel asked.<br>Luce turned around and let out a breath with a hint of a laugh. "You go on ahead to bed yourself, Love."  
>"I- I know you said you'd sleep on the sofa but I don't want you to, Luce. I'm not... I want us to take our time, you know? But one of us can't possibly sleep on the sofa until things settle down. Would be ridiculous. I... you..." Rachel looked up to see Luce leaning back against the counter, arms folded. Smiling that way again, her bottom lip sticking out slightly more than the top.<br>"Alright," she said, putting a finger over Rachel's lips. "Off with you now," Luce said as she guided Rachel in the direction of the bedroom. "Sweet dreams."

Rachel settled in under the blankets. She ran her hands down the shirt she was wearing. Feeling Luce's clothes against herself made her shiver. In the silence, her mind turned to Hec. Was he at their flat right now? Was he out with his friends? He'd be sleeping without her for the first time in years. Rachel rubbed her eyes and turned her thoughts to something emotionally bland, as Luce called it.

She surveyed her surroundings. There was a comforter, a quilt and a sheet layered one over the other. All the covers, sheets and pillows were in tones of beige and burgundy. _What a surprise,_ Rachel smiled inwardly. _Layers._She stretched, tucked her arms behind her head, and looked around the room that belonged to the person she loved. Rachel took in every tiny detail. The bedroom was more sparsely decorated than the rest of the house. There was just one dresser. Its surface was clear except two bottles of perfume and a jewelry box. One armoire and one chair. On the wall were just two framed paintings and a decorative design around the perimeter, right beneath the ceiling. Three windows covered in lace drapes took up one entire wall. The room was open and airy with lots of floor space.

Luce tiptoed into the room and closed the door without a sound as not to wake Rachel. But Rachel wasn't asleep. She watched Luce through her eyelashes. In the dim light of the bedside lamp, Rachel saw Luce as she never had before. Her auburn hair was still a bit damp. The few locks that have dried have already sprung up into a bit of a wave, giving Luce a tousled look. Her face was bare of makeup. She had never worn much of it, but this is the first time Rachel saw her without any makeup at all. And she wasn't in layers. Her sleep clothes were similar to the ones she lent Rachel. Long sleeve cotton shirt, comfortable lounge pants.

Luce slid into bed beside Rachel. Propping herself up on her elbow, she reached over to turn off the bedside lamp. Rachel's breath caught in her throat as Luce's arm passed over her. Feeling her so close, practically above her... Rachel could not breathe. _This is ridiculous,_ she thought, biting her lips. _I have kissed her, hugged her, touched her. And now her just being near me makes me feel worse than I did at H's school presentation._  
>"You alright, Rach?" Luce asked, noticing the look on her face.<br>Rachel swallowed and nodded.  
>"Okay then, just make sure you get enough oxygen. I swear you look worse than you did at H's school presentation." Luce winked and turned off the lamp.<br>Those words made Rachel let out her breath in a surprised laugh. She turned to Luce in the dark.  
>"You're perfect for me, Luce. You're just so perfect. Did I ever tell you that I love you?"<br>Their hands found each other and their fingers intertwined.  
>"No. Not in so many words. I love you too, Rachel."<br>"You dare?" Rachel replied with a hint of a smile in her voice.  
>They lay together quietly for a few minutes.<p>

"It was my birthday," Rachel volunteered.  
>"Was it? Today?"<br>They laughed again at the absurdity of the conversation.  
>"Well, if we're going to follow the script, you can just skip to the part where you almost kiss me good night," Rachel winked.<br>"No more almosts," Luce replied and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Good night, my love."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Chapter 2 is in the works and will be posted if there is interest. (The next day, when Rachel confronts Hec.)


	2. Chapter 2: The Talk

**Chapter 2**

**Author's Note:** Thank you to the people who reviewed the first chapter and signed up to receive updates! Reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated. :)

* * *

><p>Before Rachel even opened her eyes, she could tell it was morning. It took her a bit to realize where she was- and with whom. She opened one eye and glanced at her watch. Just after 6 am. Significantly earlier than her usual rising time, especially for a Sunday. Especially on a day she was supposed to be having an extremely difficult conversation with her best friend, whom she hurt so much. To whom she was still married.<br>_Bollocks._She snapped her eye shut and tried to go back to sleep. She wiggled a bit to get comfortable again, which instead made both her eyes pop wide open. She became aware that Luce was still sleeping, and she was pressed against Rachel's back, her hand resting on Rachel's hip. Thanks to Luce's affinity to low rise pants, Rachel's hip was partially bare; the only part of her entire ensemble where a little skin was exposed. Rachel had always liked this style on Luce. At this moment she liked it even better on herself.

A few minutes later, Luce stirred, pulling her hand away. Rachel reacted with a mix of disappointment and relief. But mostly relief. No, mostly disappointment. _About even, _Rachel concluded. Luce was awake now. She got out of bed and left the room, which helped Rachel decide that "disappointment" definitely won out over "relief."

Luce washed her face, brushed her teeth, and pulled off her sleep shirt. She had brought a bra and camisole with her to the bathroom, but not the rest of her clothes. The bedroom was too dark for her to pick out her clothes, and she didn't want to wake Rachel by opening the curtains. This would do for now. She headed to the kitchen to start the breakfast preparation. _What a nutty twenty four hours it's been,_ she shook her head. _Yesterday at this time I was finishing up packing to leave the country and put a distance between me and the girl who couldn't "do it" and this morning I wake up with her in my bed._ Luce put up the coffee to brew and placed a few slices of bread on a plate to make toast with later.

The sun was higher in the sky by now and Luce figured she'd be able to look through her closet without waking Rachel. She returned to the bedroom and made her way to the wardrobe. Luce glanced over at the bed where Rachel lay. Her eyes were still closed and she seemed to be sleeping. Luce stood there for a minute, just looking. Oh, how she loved this girl. She looked so serene and delicate that it made Luce smile.  
>Rachel grinned right back at her.<p>

"Oh, you!" Luce accused. "You weren't sleeping."  
>"I didn't say I was," Rachel teased. "I was enjoying watching you without you knowing. Just like you were enjoying watching me without me knowing."<br>"Fair enough." Luce turned toward her wardrobe quickly so that Rachel wouldn't see her blush. But Rachel had noticed and felt heat in her own cheeks- and elsewhere- at the thought that she could affect Luce in that way. She got out of bed, still smiling, and left the room.

The two women met up again in the kitchen. They were enjoying hot coffee, buttered toast, and each other's company. Rachel glanced at the clock. Hec was usually up by 9 am on Sundays, which meant she had about an hour before she had to pull herself together.  
>"Do you go in to the flower shop on Sundays?" Rachel asked.<br>"Usually yes, but my mother is doing it today. She was supposed to take me over for several weeks, but I imagine I'll go back tomorrow.  
>"Damn," Luce muttered after a pause.<br>"What's the matter?"  
>"It's nothing. I just left the delivery van to my mother, so I'm stuck without it. I was going to drive you to your house, but now..."<br>"I can walk. Not a problem."  
>"Rach, it's at least a 20 minute walk, and it's freezing outside. Here's an idea. How about we walk to the shop, I'll get the van and drive you the rest of the way. What do you say to that?"<p>

Noticing Rachel's knit eyebrows and faraway look, Luce took her by the shoulders and said, "Look at me, Rachel. I'm not telling you this will be easy. It will not. But I know you, and I know Hec. And Hec is the most noble, understanding and upright man I have ever met. He will not refuse to speak to you as you said last night. And knowing you, you will not take the easy way out. Tell him what you told me. He understands."  
>Rachel pulled away and walked to the living room. She fingered the mobile phone in her pocket for a minute, took a deep breath, and dialed Hec's number.<p>

Luce stayed in the kitchen and cleaned up. She rinsed the dishes solely for the reason of running some water; the noise would give Rachel some privacy while she spoke to Hec. Just as Luce finished washing the last cup and wondering what else she could wash just to keep the water on longer, Rachel walked into the kitchen.  
>"So?"<br>"So we should go now. Hec's only going to be home till noon. Then he's taking H and her friend to the museum," Rachel informed Luce and watched emotions play over her face.  
>"This is exactly what I mean, Rachel. What other man would be considerate of his little sister-in-law's feelings when he himself is going through a hard time? Hec is a gem of a man. It will all be good."<p>

The pair walked to Flowered Up in silence. Ella hadn't arrived yet. Rachel looked on in surprise as Luce unlocked the shop; she had expected to go straight to the van.  
>"C'mon in for a minute."<br>Rachel followed Luce into the store, but when Luce continued on to the back room, Rachel paused at the doorway. The sight of this room made her blush and she silently thanked the wind for having whipped color into her cheeks already so her reaction wasn't obvious. She watched in slight confusion as Luce pulled several lush blooms from a bucket.  
>"You'll bring this to Hec," Luce offered as a way of explanation. "They're hydrangeas. My mother just received a new shipment of them yesterday. That's why they're back here."<br>When Rachel didn't look any less perplexed, Luce rummaged through a box on a shelf and pulled out a small pamphlet. She flipped through it and handed it to Rachel.  
>"<em>A bouquet of hydrangeas expresses the giver's gratefulness for the recipient's understanding,<em>" Rachel read.  
>"More specifically," Luce clarified, removing the pamphlet from Rachel's hand, "they are given when a relationship ends, to show that it is ending on good terms and there are no negative feelings."<p>

After Luce locked up the shop, the two made their way to the van, Rachel carrying a bouquet of green, lavender and blue hydrangeas.  
>"Let me off on the corner, alright? I want a minute to compose myself," Rachel requested when they were nearing her flat. Luce pulled the car up to the curb, took Rachel's free hand in both of her own, and gave an encouraging squeeze. Their eyes locked and they gave each other a nod. Without another word, Rachel was out of the car and Luce was driving away. She took slow, measured steps, anxiety rising as she approached her own flat.<p>

Rachel entered the gate and stood in front of the door, gulping as much cold air as she could before she rang the bell. _Stupid of me, I still live here. I could have used my key. Nah, the bell's better. Give the poor guy a warning. Calm down, Rachel. It's just Hec. Breathe._  
>Hec opened the door.<br>"Hey."  
>"Hey."<br>If it would be possible to die of awkwardness, Rachel thought she'd set the record for being the first one. But as soon as she took off her coat, put the bouquet of hydrangeas on the counter and sat down on the sofa, things started to feel a little more normal.

"Hec, I have things to say. Come sit by me. Please hear me out. I know I probably don't deserve your time or your understanding..."  
>"Rach. Pull yourself together. I'm listening. I want to listen to you."<br>Rachel met Hec's eyes and let out a relieved noise, somewhat like a laugh. He was the same Hec as always. Her best friend.  
>"If I could only say one thing to you Hec, it's this: I have never- not once since I was with you- touched another person. Not Luce, not anyone else. Not last night, not since our wedding, and not once since we started going out."<br>Rachel looked up from her lap to see the look of relief on Hec's face.  
>"Don't look relieved!" She hollered, jumping up from the sofa. "Did you think I ever did anything behind your back? Ooooh, I feel like slapping you for thinking anything of that sort about me."<br>She threw herself back down and took a few calming breaths.  
>"In light of what is happening now, do you think I really am that wrong in thinking... I don't even know what! God knows I've tried not to think all that much the last two days in order to preserve my sanity."<br>_Seriously, Hec, you and me both_.  
>"Hec, the only thing I did- <em>ever<em>- was kiss Luce. And I told you about it that same night. How can I purposely do anything to hurt you? You're my best friend."

Instinctively, Hec brought his hand up to Rachel's face to wipe away a lone tear, but his hand was intercepted by Rachel's own.  
>"No, Hec. Don't comfort me. I don't deserve your touch."<br>Yet she did not let go of Hec's hand.  
>"I never did deserve a wonderful friend like you. I love you, Hec. But I never realized that you love me back in a very different way. You need more than a friend. You need someone who can return the same type of love that you offered me.<br>"We've known each other since before we knew the depths that love can reach. I loved you, and you loved me back. But then we got older. And you started to love me... differently. And I _thought _my feelings mirrored yours."  
>Hec listened with a faraway look in his eyes. He always did have a nagging feeling that he was in love with Rachel just a drop more than she was in love with him.<p>

Rachel felt his pain, but she knew she had to see this conversation through to the end. It may hurt, but she felt as if she had stabbed him already, and now she needed to remove the dagger. Painful as it may be to do so, it was the only way either of them would heal.  
>"When I met Luce," Rachel continued, "I finally understood what you felt for me. And it broke my heart that I couldn't return the feeling."<br>Rachel had been looking down at their clasped hands the entire time. She looked up with a sad smile. Hec couldn't bear to see her this way. He pulled her into a hug, and Rachel didn't resist his gesture this time.  
>"I'm sorry, Hec. I should have let you go a long time ago. I'm just not as brave as you are. I kept you for myself and prevented you from finding your soul mate."<p>

Rachel pulled away from Hec's embrace, not feeling herself worthy of affection at the moment.  
>"Wow," Hec spoke up for the first time in a while. "Wow."<br>"Yeah," Rachel offered meekly, "I thought about you all of last night. I was too much of a coward to call you. I couldn't bear it if you would refuse to speak to me."  
>"I think we both needed some time to ourselves," Hec agreed. "I won't pretend yesterday wasn't hell. Because it was. I'm glad we took some time to think before seeing each other again."<br>"Me, too."  
>"I went out with Coop for some drinks. Convinced him not to do anything that might land him in jail." They both chuckled at their friend who was able to provide comic relief without even being present.<p>

"There is one thing I lied about, though," Rachel admitted. But the impish look in her eye belied her words.  
>"And what may that be?" Hec asked curiously, noting her smile.<br>"I told you that when you leave your job, I'll be waiting for you with champagne." Rachel strolled over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle. Hec watched her with a smile lighting up his eyes and then took down two glasses.  
>"To my best friend," Rachel said, as they clinked their glasses, "who is the most caring person I have ever met."<br>"And to you, my dear," Hec countered, "who isn't afraid to do the right thing."  
>They sipped the champagne.<br>"I was, though," Rachel said.  
>"Was what?"<br>"Afraid to do the right thing. I wanted to keep you all for me."  
>"But you did the right thing, anyway," Hec pointed out.<br>"Not without your help," Rachel smiled up at him.

They sat together in silence for a few minutes, until Rachel couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.  
>"So aren't you going to tell me? How you left your job? Your exit speech? You were practicing it forever! What'd you end up saying?"<br>"Oh," Hec chuckled, "that. Well, I told them that I don't want to lie anymore. Simple as that." He brushed his hands off against each other. "Gathered my things, and walked out. Never seen Rob look so shocked before. Hope I shocked him into somewhat more moral behaviour."  
>"Doubt it," Rachel and Hec said simultaneously.<br>"So what are your plans now, Hec? What are you going to do?"  
>"Well, once I'm done sulking," at which point Rachel rested her forehead in her palm and briefly looked away, "I plan to finally start traveling around the world and write my book. I have no excuses now," he grinned.<br>"Oh, that's brilliant, Hec! I'm really happy for you. You deserve it."

They talked a little more about the flat and the furniture. They would have to put up the flat for sale. Hec didn't need something this big for himself, and going on travels each month for research for his book, he wouldn't be staying at home for more than a week or two at a time anyway. Cooper had offered to keep some of Hec's belongings at his house, and he had a spare room where Hec could stay between trips.

There were many more technicalities to discuss, but they would have to wait.  
>"Ooooh, I really gotta run now, Rach," Hec said, glancing up at the clock. "I'm picking up your sister and her friend at your parents' house in just a few minutes. We'll talk." Hec grabbed his keys and wallet, threw on a jacket and headed for the door. Left alone, Rachel wondered where to begin. Her decision was made by a low battery alert that came from her mobile phone. She plugged it in to charge on the kitchen counter, near the bouquet that hasn't been given the proper attention in the heat of the moment. Rachel decided to rectify the situation by arranging the blooms in a large crystal vase and placing them in a prominent spot in the living room. She pulled out a pretty stationery note and wrote down the meaning of the flowers and what it means to her and to Hec personally. He really has been so unbelievably understanding.<p>

Rachel pulled out a suitcase from the storage closet. Before packing all her clothes, she picked out an outfit to change into. She was wearing yesterday's clothes and needed something fresh. _It's not a date, Rachel, _she told herself as she continued to dismiss shirt after shirt. In the end she chose a black cardigan, a light pink, sleeveless shirt with a v-neck, a black pleated skirt that hit mid-knee and black tights.

It was hard for her to wrap her mind around the fact that they'd need to find what to do with all the furniture and belongings in the flat before selling it. To keep from getting overwhelmed, she forced herself to focus on one thing at a time. This time she will pack her clothes and toiletries. Next time she would take care of her photo albums, books and other things. Rachel threw in a load of laundry to wash and rang Luce to come pick her up.

"You don't look traumatized," Luce greeted Rachel when she opened the door. "I'm guessing everything went well?"  
>"Oh, yes. It's a huge load off my chest. That conversation is exactly what I needed. Things aren't all roses, and they won't settle down for another while, but I think today was an excellent start to the whole sorting-out process. You were right. Hec may just be the best kind of man."<p>

Rachel threw together some lunch and they ate, talked and relaxed while waiting for the laundry to finish drying so Rachel could pack it. That afternoon when they returned to Luce's flat, they were both in a much better mood than the day before. They worked together, making room in the closets for Rachel's clothes and settling everything in neatly. It took them much longer than it should have due to excessive kissing breaks, but they were in no rush. For Luce and Rachel, that afternoon was made for nothing but each other.

They sat back to back on the bed. Rachel was folding her clothes into neat piles and Luce was sorting through some of her own things, pulling out pieces she never really wore in order to make more place for Rachel's things.  
>"Oh, God," Rachel muttered and leaned her back against the other woman's.<br>"Hmm?" Luce replied, turning her head slightly to look at Rachel.  
>"I go back to work tomorrow."<br>"It never seemed to me that you hate it _that _much," Luce snickered.  
>"I <em>don't<em> hate it. I- I just don't even know if my coworkers know anything about anything that happened. They probably don't. How would they? It's going to be so damn weird."  
>"Well," Luce turned her whole body so she could hug Rachel from the back, "why don't you take your friends out to lunch and tell them."<br>Luce gently laid Rachel down onto the bed so that now she was kneeling near her, which made Rachel giggle.  
>"You'll be out in public and hopefully they'll be reluctant to make a scene."<br>"You make it sound so simple," Rachel said through her laughter, which stopped abruptly when Luce threw one knee over to the other side of Rachel's waist.

In her previous relationships, Luce was often the dominant one. She just had that sort of personality and it was kind of expected that she'd take matters into her own hands and lead the way. With Rachel, though, she didn't have such an option. Until yesterday, every time she was around the girl she loved, she had to keep her distance. Act friendly, but nothing more. Whenever Rachel had made any subtle move at her, Luce had felt it was her moral obligation to steer the atmosphere back to safer ground. Sometimes she didn't, though, and allowed herself the luxury of getting played into Rachel's moves. Even now that they were together, they were taking it slowly. Rachel's life was in turmoil and the last thing Luce wanted to do was make her feel uncomfortable or to add to her emotional upheaval. So she continued to let Rachel set the pace. And she realized that she liked it. She liked the anticipation, the feeling of being wanted, of being needed.

And right now, she wanted Rachel to feel it. Luce wiggled her way down from Rachel's waist until she was straddling her thighs. She kept her eyes on Rachel's face so she could see her reaction and make sure she's not getting ahead of herself. So far, Luce was pleased to see, Rachel was wearing an amused smile. So she pushed her luck further and placed her hands on the bed, one on either side of Rachel's shoulders so that their torsos weren't quite touching, but close enough- for now.

Luce held her face inches above Rachel's, her hair creating a curtain, separating them from the rest of the world.  
>"Why, you just say to them," Luce continued the conversation in a low voice, between slow, heavy breaths, "I met a girl. And I fell in love with her the second our eyes met. She is my soul mate. And I want to spend the rest of my life with her." Straightening her arms to push herself away a bit and changing her tone to a lighter one, she added, "And then you'll add: of course my husband supports this decision and everyone involved agrees this is the right choice." Then just as Rachel opened her mouth to say something, Luce swiftly closed the gap between their bodies and pressed her own mouth to Rachel's.<p>

After a full minute they broke away, barely able to catch their breath. When Rachel was able to perceive anything beyond her intense love for Luce stirring inside her, she became aware of the fact that her skirt had hiked up. The feel of rough jeans moving against her thighs through the sheer fabric of her tights made Rachel gasp and squirm. She accidentally kicked a pile of clothes off the bed.  
>"Hey!" Rachel called out, sitting up. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, causing Luce to stand up the floor. Rachel quickly wrapped her legs behind Luce's knees to keep her from escaping. "Look at what you made me do," she said, indicating the mess of clothes on the floor. "For this you will pay." Rachel lowered the herself and Luce down to the floor, pinned Luce's hands down, and sat on her legs. Rachel laughed, and pressed her body against Luce's. She stayed that way and did nothing, enjoying the feel their hearts beating in rhythm and wondering if right now Luce was feeling the same heat in all the same places as she herself was feeling. Losing herself in the moment, Rachel had loosened her grip on Luce's wrists, and of course Luce had to take advantage of it. She brought her hands up to Rachel's back and ever so slowly she slid them under her shirt. She inched them higher and higher so slowly that Rachel didn't realize how far Luce had actually gone until she felt a finger under her bra hooks.<p>

Luce giggled uncontrollably when Rachel started and rolled right off her. She knew she went too far by pretending to unhook Rachel's bra; she wouldn't have actually done it. It was understood between them that a step like that would be Rachel's call to make. But glancing over at Rachel shaking with laughter on the floor beside her, all Luce said was, "Who's the one who paid, then?"  
>"You may have won the battle, darling. But you <em>will<em> lose the war," Rachel informed her.  
>"God, I hope so!" was Luce's reply.<p>

* * *

><p>Stay tuned for Chapter 3...<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: Rachel's Long Day

**Chapter 3**

Rachel prepared for a long day ahead. Her first day back at work after... everything happened.  
>"Alright," said Rachel, taking a deep breath. She was at the door, ready to go. Luce walked over to see her off. Since early morning isn't prime flower shopping time, Luce didn't open her shop until 10 am. Which is why she was still only half dressed by the time Rachel was leaving at 8 am. She had changed her top but was still wearing plaid flannel pajama bottoms.<p>

"I won't be back _home_," Rachel smiled as she stressed the word, "until late. I'm going straight after work to meet with Hec and start the proceedings for the sale of the flat."  
>"Have a great day, Love. The evening can't come early enough."<br>Rachel leaned in for a kiss, which Luce redirected to a peck on the cheek. Noticing Rachel's questioning look, Luce explained, "Your lipstick is still fresh, I don't want to mess it up."  
>Before she had even finished her sentence, Luce found herself pressed against the wall, Rachel's lips on hers. Rachel didn't pull away until a good ten seconds later.<br>"That color lipstick becomes you. Borrow it sometime," she smirked and then she was out the door. She was still smiling to herself halfway to the Tube when she pulled out a tissue and wiped around her lips to remove any smudged lipstick.

Rachel arrived at her workplace and slipped into the bathroom. She reapplied her lipstick, smiling at the image she held of Luce in her mind, the look on her face at the unexpected passionate kiss. As she straightened out her hair and clothes after the commute, she desperately tried to think of any way that her friends may have found out that something unusual had gone on. Beth sometimes called Rachel on weekends. _What if she called and Hec picked up? He wouldn't have said anything besides that I'm not home. What if she called my parents? No, why would she? Zina emails sometimes, but almost never calls. What if they bumped into my parents? Or what if they saw Hec out with H and her friend?_ Eventually Rachel came out of the bathroom. No use in speculating or hyperventilating.

"Good morning," Zina said in a sing-song voice. Was she hinting at something? Or did she always use that tone of voice when greeting her in the morning?  
>"Hey," was Rachel's curt response.<br>She turned her computer on and immersed herself in her work, trying to look too busy for chatting. She could just imagine her friends' reactions when they'd find out she left her husband of two months for a woman. Luce was right. She should just avoid all contact with people until lunch, take her friends out to eat and hope they'll keep their reactions outwardly tame in public.

"What's going on?" Beth whispered as she passed Rachel's desk about an hour later.  
>"How much do you know?" Rachel asked, whirling around in her chair.<br>"Know what? About what? What's going on Rach?"  
>"Uh, why do you think something's going on?"<br>"Oh, no reason. Except that you look like you're ready to make a run for it every time someone addresses you. Everything alright?"  
>Rachel pushed away her keyboard rested her forehead on the desk.<br>"Come out to the corner cafe with me for lunch. You and Zina," she murmured.  
>"Okay, pal. But is everything alright? Anything I can help with now?"<br>Still resting her forehead on the desk, Rachel shook her head.  
>"No, no. Everything's perfect. Absolutely perfect. Never better."<br>She didn't sound sarcastic, but with her voice aimed at her lap, Beth couldn't discern Rachel's tone very well.  
>"Okay, hun. Talk to you soon." Beth patted Rachel's back and walked off to Zina, who was watching from the other side of the room with a questioning look in her eyes. Beth responded with a confused shrug of her own.<p>

Luce was balancing some numbers and sorting out invoices at her shop, wondering how Rachel was faring at work. Many of Rachel's coworkers had gone to the wedding, and her two best friends had been her bridesmaids. The news of her latest changes in life would put Rachel in the spotlight for a while, something Luce knew she dreaded. She thought about how she herself didn't need to explain her life to that many people. No one really knew anything that happened in the past few weeks besides Edie. Luce had no coworkers, and even if she did, there's nothing much to explain when you simply haven't had anyone in your life and now you did.

She had spoken to Edie almost every day lately. She and Luce were so different- totally opposite personalities. Which is the reason they were such great friends and also the reason they were never anything more than that. Not that Edie didn't try. They both knew they weren't made for each other, but Edie wasn't opposed to some harmless fun. Luce didn't see it as harmless, though. She valued their friendship too much. So most of the time they got along like any two good friends. They talked, they went out together, they annoyed each other. Sometimes Edie flirted with Luce when she wanted to be especially annoying, but they both knew that Edie had her lineup of girls (which Luce disapproved of) while Luce was taking a break from such drama for a while (which Edie disapproved of).

Ever since the time Edie and Luce ran into Rachel and Hec at the supermarket, Edie had been a confidante to Luce about all Rachel-related issues. She hadn't been particularly sensitive to the fact that there was a husband in the picture, but that was her style. How she smirked when Luce informed her that she and Rachel had made a mutual decision not to see each other anymore.  
>"Like you have a say in the matter," she had said as they walked side by side.<br>"What do you mean? We..."  
>"All I mean is the heart wants what the heart wants. Pretty haughty of you to think you can just end it and go on with your life. Or that she could just go on with hers."<br>"Whatever happened to 'she's not just heterosexual, she's...'"  
>"Okay!" Edie had interrupted. "I misjudged her. I'm allowed a mistake once in a while. No need to rub it in."<br>"Once in a while? Heh. Darling, when was the last time you read a person correctly?"  
>"You're just trying to get the attention off yourself and onto me. All I'm saying is the heart wants what the heart wants." By then they had reached Edie's house and she ran up her steps without another word.<p>

That was the last conversation Luce had with Edie, aside from the email Luce sent telling Edie about her planned trip out of country for an undetermined amount of time. She decided to call her up in between customers and fill her in on all the goings on of the last few days. This is when her mind turned to Rachel and how she was managing with her own announcement.

Rachel, Beth and Zina were sitting at a small table in the cafe with some drinks. Nobody said anything for a good few minutes. The silence was beginning to get very uncomfortable when Rachel spoke up.  
>"I'm not with Hec anymore."<br>"Oh, Rachel..."  
>"Sweetie, what happened?"<br>"No, guys, it's okay, seriously," Rachel said. "It was a mutual decision."  
>"You two were always so close. I can't believe what I'm hearing," Zina shook her head.<br>_Then you really won't believe what you're about to hear next,_ Rachel mused.  
>"There really are no suitable men in the world, are there?" Beth lamented.<br>"Zina, Beth, listen to me. Please don't freak out. Hec's still great. We still are close. Hec and I aren't together because we realized we're great friends... but nothing more."  
>Rachel's friends exchanged a glance, not knowing what to say next. Rachel had paused only to cover her face with her hands before continuing, "I know this because... I know this because I fell in love with someone else and realized that I had never fallen in love with anyone before. Oh, and another thing you may want to know is that this person is a woman." Rachel said all this in one breath and so quickly, that her friends weren't sure if they hadn't misheard.<p>

She spread her fingers a little so she could peek out from behind them. What she saw is Zina and Beth staring at her, eyes and mouths wide open. Rachel nodded and dropped her hands into her lap. She watched her friends as understanding began do dawn in Zina's expression. She formed her mouth into an "o" and kept it that way for a bit before saying, "So those questions... they weren't theoretical, were they. Oh, God."  
>"I never would have imagined that you're... you're a..."<br>"I'm not!" Rachel interrupted Beth. "I never felt like this towards a woman before. Hell, I never felt like this towards a man before! I've never been in love until now. What kind of label can you slap onto that?"  
>"Down to business now. Do we know her?" Zina queried.<br>"You might. She's the florist who did the flowers at my wedding. Her name's Luce."  
>As jittery as Rachel had felt before, a genuine smile lit up her face as she mentioned her lover's name.<br>It was time to get back to the office, and the three friends payed for their drinks, not realizing they hadn't even ordered anything to eat. Rachel asked her friends not to specifically say anything to their other coworkers, but if someone mentions Hec for any reason, they can explain what happened. Back at her computer, Rachel shot an email off to Luce.

Luce was in the back room of her shop, entering the expense of the latest flower shipment into a money management program on her laptop. She had just finished and was about to shut the laptop down when she noticed a little banner flash in the corner of the screen. An email. Since there were no customers, she decided to check it quickly.

_**Hey you! I did it. Neither of my friends had a panic attack, but I may have come close. Heh heh. I miss you like you wouldn't believe. I have a lot more to say, but nothing that's appropriate for a work email. *wink***_

A smile spread across Luce's face as she composed a reply:

_**Great going, Rach! You're absolutely awesome. And that's as much as I will let myself say in a work email as well. See you soon, my love.**_

Rachel arrived at her old flat and threw down her briefcase.  
>"Hec?" she called.<br>Seeing that he wasn't home, she busied herself around the kitchen while she waited. She pulled out a frozen dinner to heat up for the two of them, and upon passing the sink she noticed that Hec didn't share Luce's philosophy of washing the dishes right after eating. Or loading the dishwasher, as it may be in this case. She quickly rinsed the food off the dishes and pots and loaded them in herself. The rest of the place looked pretty good for a guy living by himself for a few days. She was tempted to pick up some stray socks, but then she realized that she has no business cleaning up after Hec anymore. It didn't feel right. Even upon entering the bedroom to gather some more of her belongings, she felt as if she was intruding Hec's personal space.

She heard the key in the door and walked down the hall to greet Hec.  
>"Something smells good," Hec commented.<br>"Oh, yeah. It's nothing. I didn't feel right doing any actual cooking with your groceries without you here, so I just reheated a frozen dinner." Hec glanced at the humming dishwasher and although he didn't say anything, Rachel almost regretted loading it up. Hec was a grown man and living on his own. To come to his house and start cooking and cleaning for him was insulting. _Soon,_ Rachel thought, _soon everything will fall into place and Hec and I will find the happy medium of our friendship. It won't always be this clumsy between us._

After they ate, Hec pulled out a stack of papers from his briefcase.  
>"I'd gone to see the real estate agent. She just needs your signature in a few spots and the flat will go up for sale as soon as I return these papers."<br>Rachel noticed several packed boxes stacked against the living room wall.  
>"You're moving some things over to Cooper's place so soon? The flat won't sell that fast, I don't think."<br>"I have a flight booked for Friday, Rach. I'm finally fulfilling my dream! I'll be gone for three weeks. Until then, we must move at least my stuff out and sell or donate the things neither of us are taking. Like this if the sale closes before I come back, you won't have my things to deal with."  
>"Y-you're going? Already?"<br>"What should I be waiting for, Rachel? Staying here by myself is depressing. I've put this off for too long."  
>"Don't you think that we should take care of the, uh, of the... divorce?"<br>Rachel hesitated saying that word. It sounded so cold and hostile. They weren't getting a _divorce_. They were changing their status from being married to being pals. It was all legalities anyway. These two months that they spent as husband and wife was the most distant they had ever been from each other. A document is all they needed. A document, not that vile word- _divorce_.

"I had actually gone to a lawyer today as well," Hec said.  
>"Go on," Rachel encouraged after a pause, confused by the apologetic look in Hec's eyes.<br>"It seems that we cannot file for divorce until we have been married a year."  
>The silence hung between them heavily as Rachel considered the implications. She felt that she should wait for the divorce to finalize before taking the next step with Luce, but a year? Hec caught on to her train of thought.<br>"It's just a piece of paper is all it is. What matters is _us_. What we feel. What we decide. I'm ready to let go and be your friend, Rachel. Are you ready to let me go?"  
>Rachel nodded and stood up. The tension of everything was weighing down on her too heavily and she needed to let it drop.<br>"Excuse me for a bit, Hec," she managed to whisper as she ran towards the bathroom, tears stinging her eyes.  
>Her love for Hec and her completely different sort of love for Luce, the pressure of announcing her enormous life changes to her friends at work, bureaucracy and red tape, confusing paperwork and having to be responsible for the sale of the flat in Hec's absence all came crashing down as Rachel sat on the edge of the bathtub and cried silently into her hands.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: This chapter is slightly shorter than the others were, but Rachel has dealt with a lot on this day and I thought I'd give her a break before she returns to Luce that evening. :) There will be a fourth and last chapter coming soon. I have many ideas, but I am planning to write my own original story as well on fictionpress so I don't want to use up all my ideas here. :D


	4. Chapter 4: Life Settles Down

**Chapter 4**

Rachel returned to her new home emotionally drained. Hec drove her, helped her bring up her boxes and then left. Luce could tell that Rachel had been crying and greeted her wordlessly with a long, warm hug.  
>"Should I make you some tea, Rachel?"<br>"Yeah, why not," Rachel sighed.

Luce entered the room with a cup of hot tea to find Rachel opening some of the boxes she had just brought.  
>"Thank you, honey," Rachel said as she took the cup and sank down into the sofa. She remained silent, and although Luce was anxious to find out about Rachel's day, all she asked was, "Can I help you unpack?" She saw Rachel nod and began to pile the contents of one box onto the table. As Luce lifted out a photo album, Rachel said, "Bring this one over and come sit." Luce complied and sat on the sofa with Rachel, album in hand. It was decorated in a childish way. The cover was wrapped in polka-dotted fabric and trimmed in lace. Across the center there was written "Rachel H." in slightly smudged, puffy fabric paint. The handwriting was a neat script that looked like it was meticulously done by an eleven year old.<p>

Luce looked up from the link to Rachel's childhood that she held in her lap and met Rachel's gaze. She loved the feeling of learning more about the woman she loved so much.  
>"May I open it?" she asked as she moved closer to Rachel. Rachel reached over wordlessly and opened the album for her. Luce looked down at a curly-haired little girl with a smile. She was a cute kid.<br>"How old are you here?"  
>"About nine, I think. H's age."<br>Luce continued to flip pages, enjoying a look into Rachel's past. Little Rachel in a school play, one of her hanging up-side-down on monkey bars, laughing, the ends of her curls brushing the ground. There were pictures of Rachel with her parents during holidays. They looked so young and happy. Luce flipped the pages of Rachel's childhood, up until her early teens.  
>"Awww," she commented as she turned the page to find a newborn Henrietta. "You look so happy holding her."<br>"Yeah, I was. I had wanted a sibling for so long. H and I have been great friends since the first time I held her."  
>Subconsciously, they snuggled closer and closer together, so that by the time they finished looking at the album, Rachel's head was resting on Luce's shoulder and Luce had one arm around Rachel's waist.<br>"Thank you for sharing this part of you with me." Luce kissed the top of Rachel's head and they sat that way for a while longer. After a few minutes, Rachel spoke.  
>"Luce."<br>"Mmm?"  
>"This is going to sound really strange."<br>"I have more experience with 'strange' than with 'normal.' Shoot."  
>Rachel giggled. "I don't even know how old you are."<br>Luce scrunched her nose upon realizing that Rachel was correct and laughed as well.  
>"I just turned thirty-one."<br>Rachel lifted her head from Luce's shoulder to be able to see her face.  
>"We were never even in primary school at the same time," she said with a smile. "I'm twenty-four."<br>The companionable silence returned. Rachel slid herself down to a reclining position, with her head on Luce's stomach and her legs thrown over the sofa armrest. Luce draped her hand over Rachel's shoulder, and Rachel took it, weaving their fingers together.  
>"Do you want to tell me about your day?" Luce asked, smoothing Rachel's hair with her free hand.<br>Rachel shook her head. "I just want to enjoy being with you right now." She lifted their intertwined fingers and kissed the back of Luce's hand. The demands of the day had tired Rachel out. She closed her eyes and within minutes, Luce felt Rachel's body become heavier and her breath, shallower. Luce waited a few minutes for Rachel to fall into a deeper sleep before slipping out from under her, replacing herself with a sofa pillow. She knelt for a minute, watching Rachel's sleeping form before planting a kiss on her forehead and leaving the room.

Rachel awoke a little disoriented. It took her several attempts before she could properly remember falling asleep on top of Luce on the sofa, but she had no recollection of making a trip to the bed, where was where she now found herself. She was also wearing night clothes, although she remembered falling asleep in her work suit. She turned to Luce who was also beginning to wake up.  
>"No better way to start my day," Luce smiled and kissed the woman next to her. "I had wanted to give you something last night but you fell asleep." She rolled over to the night stand and then back to Rachel, holding out her hands, palms together. Rachel opened Luce's hands to reveal a key. It was on a ring, and at the other end of the chain there was a smooth, flat stone. It was round and pale grey in color. On either side of the stone was a painted image of a tiger lily. Rachel lifted it gently.<br>"The key to my heart," Luce said with a lopsided grin. "Which is what it would have been, had you not had that for a good several weeks now. This is a key to my- our flat. Figured it may come in useful."  
>Rachel passed the key and the key chain from hand to hand, feeling its weight. She leaned over Luce and hugged her.<br>"You're wonderful." And then, in a barely audible whisper, she added, "I am so, so in love with you."

And so the days passed. Things had settled down at work. Most of Rachel's coworkers knew of her newest life situation after a few days, and she was pleased to find that it really was not a big deal. Every day after work she met up with Hec at their flat so they could pack together. They had listed some of their furniture for sale and by Thursday evening, the flat looked almost empty. Rachel eyed the two overstuffed suitcases on the floor of the living room.  
>"So tomorrow's the big day, huh," she said.<br>"Yeah, I'm flying out 8 am," Hec replied, rubbing his hands together gleefully.  
>"I've been talking my boss's ear off about the book you are planning on writing. He seems quite interested in the idea." Rachel handed Hec the business card of the publishing company she worked for.<br>"Really?" he asked, turning the card reverently in his hands. "He said he was interested?"  
>Rachel smiled and nodded.<br>"I'm really going to miss you, you know. You better email me photos of your adventures."  
>"You bet. I'm going to need somebody to show off to."<p>

Hec and Rachel parted fondly. He helped her load some bags and boxes into the car, and after a quick hug and a peck on the cheek, Rachel drove away. She was in a great mood, which is the first thing Luce noticed when Rachel came in. She put down the book she was reading when she heard the key in the door and got up to greet Rachel, pleased to see a genuine smile on her face.  
>"Hey, you," Rachel said as Luce laid her hands on either side of her waist. "I didn't know you wore glasses." She removed the rimless pair from the other woman's face and put them on her own.<br>"Whoa," she exclaimed and promptly removed them. "It's like seeing the world through a funny house mirror."  
>Luce took her glasses back. "They're just for reading. My vision's going in my <em>old age<em>." She elbowed Rachel as she said those last two words. Luce wasn't going to let Rachel live down the look she had on her face upon discovering that Luce was seven years older than her.  
>"Put them back on. I want to see you in them again."<br>Luce complied. Rachel took a step back to admire her, and then pulled her into a kiss.  
>"Mmm," Rachel interrupted herself. "As sexy as you look in those glasses, they just will not do if they don't let me kiss you properly."<p>

It was Friday. Rachel checked herself in the restroom mirror and sighed contentedly. She made it through a whole week at work. Well, she still had a few hours left, but after that, she was going to spend an entire two days, two happy and uninterrupted days, with her beloved. Tonight she was going straight home after work for the first time. No stopping anywhere else first to take care of things. Not that everything has been taken care of. Far from it. But now there was a lull in the commotion of her life. She was excited to get home early and have an entire evening with Luce. They haven't eaten dinner together all week.  
>"You're chipper today," Zina commented.<br>Rachel didn't hear her friend enter the restroom and started a bit at the comment.  
>"What? Oh, yeah. Guess I am," she said with a smirk.<br>"I'm happy to see you this way, Rachel. I really am. You've just seemed so out of it lately, you know? I'm glad you are happy now."  
>"Thanks, Zina. Yeah, it's all really good now." Rachel headed toward the door.<br>"How good?" Zina grabbed Rachel's arm to prevent her from leaving. Rachel gave Zina a confused look.  
>"Is it very different?" Zina elaborated. "Talk, woman."<br>The expression on Rachel's face went from perplexed to amused when she realized what Zina wanted to know.  
>"Oh," she chuckled. "Well, I... I don't know."<br>Zina just stood there, not knowing how to respond, which made Rachel smile.  
>"I don't know yet," Rachel repeated and slipped out of her friend's loosened grip and through the restroom door.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: I was going to make this chapter the last one, but then I decided to make it a bit shorter so I could put it up sooner. The only part left to write is their first night together, but I'm stalling a bit there. It will come soon.

If anyone is interested, while waiting for Chapter 5 to be put up, you may find a story I started on fictionpress . com , under the same screen name.


	5. Chapter 5: Something One Can Get Used To

**Author's Note: **I'm so, so, so sorry for not updating sooner. The thing is, I'm not a writer. I'm really not. Some sort of creative spirit settled over me and enabled me to write the first four chapters. Then it fled, the coward, leaving me to struggle with the last chapter, hoping I could make it as good as the first four. At first I thought, no big deal. I'll glean inspiration from real life. Then I waited. And waited. And waited some more. Alas, nothing useful happened in my life (on which I could base this chapter.) *sigh* And then someone threatened to put a scorpion down my pants if I don't put up chapter 5. So I figured, it's bad enough I don't have a girlfriend, I don't need someone searching me out to drop a scorpion down my pants on top of that. But luckily for you, this story's not about me. It's about people whose lives are worth reading about. Enjoy. :)

**Chapter 5**

Rachel arrived home before Luce did, which was a novelty for her. She skipped off to the kitchen to put up something for dinner. She wanted Luce to come home from work and be able to sit down and eat with her right away. She wanted to finally have a perfect evening. It wasn't much later that Rachel heard the key in the lock and then saw Luce enter the kitchen. The soft, pleased smile on her face validated Rachel's efforts.

They spoke about how their day had been, and Luce shared several amusing stories about her customers.  
>"It's a good thing that they don't need to sign a privacy policy before shopping. Some of those anecdotes are too good for me to keep to myself," she chuckled.<br>"That 'last chance' flower guy will always be my favorite, though," Rachel said. "I was just so... I don't know... nervous, I guess, talking to you that day, and he provided the most wonderful comic relief." She smiled shyly at the woman across the table, remembering how much courage it took for her to invite her for dinner that day. That seemed to have happened a lifetime ago.

They finished eating, and although it was still only 8 pm, Rachel headed towards the shower. In sharp contrast to her first evening in Luce's place, when Rachel just wanted to shut off all feelings, today she used this time to think. She needed to sort out the millions of untamed thoughts running through her mind. She needed to know where exactly she was standing in her life. The apartment was listed for sale, and she even had a showing scheduled for tomorrow evening. Hec left the country that morning. She had, with much trepidation, told her news to her coworkers, and the drama of it settled down after a few days. So many hurdles have been overcome. She felt free. Uplifted. And she felt ready.

Rachel stood in front of the bedroom closet in her bathrobe. Scanning the items on the hangers, she right away knew what it was she wanted to wear. There was a hooded sweater that Rachel knew Luce liked on her. It was velvet, and depending on which angle you looked at it, it was either a dusty plum or a soft grey color. Next, Rachel pulled out a slip that she usually wore under her business suit skirts. It was made of a smooth, thin, black material and its lacy hem hit right above her knees. She took off her robe, put on those two items, and twirled in front of the full length mirror. She started towards the door, but then backtracked and decided to blow dry her hair first.

When her hair was mostly dry, Rachel fluffed it out around her shoulders and all but skipped down the hallway to the kitchen. She leaned in the doorway and watched Luce's back for a few minutes through half-closed eyes. Luce wore her hair tied back today. It's not often that she did so, and Rachel made a mental note to ask her to consider this style more often. It gave Rachel a more enticing view of her neck and jawline, and it held a special spot in Rachel's heart because this is how she saw Luce for the first time.

Luce was washing dishes again. _Predictable. And perfect._Taking a moment to compose herself, Rachel smiled and exhaled. It was time to play. She sauntered up to the counter and leaned her back against it, looking straight at Luce. Luce continued at her task, stealing glances at the curly-haired girl every so often until her silence and unwavering eye contact got to her.

"What is it?" Luce chuckled.  
>"You have magnificent eyes."<br>Luce shook her head and graced Rachel with a skeptical look and smirk before returning to her dish washing routine.  
>"You know, the good thing about dishes," Rachel smiled mischievously as she hoisted herself up onto the counter and perched on the edge, "is that they are very patient."<br>"Patient," Luce repeated amusedly, eyeing Rachel's legs mere inches away from her own hands, outlined perfectly by silky black material that draped loosely over her thighs. Patience is something Luce had to practice a lot of recently. She wasn't sure where this whole conversation was heading, but she couldn't help but smile as she waited for Rachel to continue.  
>"Yes," replied Rachel. The word came out as a laugh. "They wouldn't," she continued, "mind terribly if you'd do them tomorrow."<br>Luce couldn't help but wonder if they hadn't had a similar conversation once before. She opened her mouth to say as such, when-  
>"Let me rephrase that. <em>They<em>don't need you tonight," Rachel almost-whispered as she sidled up to sit at the ledge of the sink, right in front of Luce, whose eyebrows shot up with a sudden realization, "like I need you tonight."

Luce felt her insides melt and her heartbeat pulsate in her ears upon hearing those words. She put one hand on Rachel's lower back to prevent her from falling into the sink as she reached around her to turn off the water with the other. Feeling herself starting to lose balance, Rachel steadied herself by pressing her knees to either side of Luce's waist. The two women joined their lips in a slow and deliberate kiss. They pulled apart, and Luce placed her hands on Rachel's shoulders, hesitating for a few moments before deciding on a relatively safe gesture of sliding her hands down Rachel's arms. It has taken Rachel a long time to get to this place and Luce didn't want to overwhelm her straightaway. Their fingers met, and Rachel lifted Luce's hands back up to her own shoulders. _Let's try this again,_she thought, guiding the hands down a different path this time.

Luce was more than happy to let Rachel show her. The two pairs of hands, one guiding, one caressing, traveled over the front of the velour hoodie. They followed the curve until the guiding hands paused at the crest of the swell, imploring the caressing hands to linger. Rachel left Luce's hands she needed to feel them and moved her own to Luce's cheeks. They merged their lips and their souls once more. Luce moved her lips from Rachel's mouth to her neck, continuing on lower. She slid her hands out from between her own body and Rachel's, causing the younger woman to whimper into the kiss. The whimper turned into a shudder when Luce paused the kisses and brushed her fingers across Rachel's collarbone. Never before did she imagine that someone running a finger over her collarbone would make her whole body tense up like that, but this wasn't "someone;" this was Luce. Rachel had barely regained coherent thought before losing it again when she felt Luce's fingertips span the short distance between the collarbone and the zipper pull below it. At this point, Luce lifted her eyes to Rachel's face to watch her reaction as she inched the zipper down. Rachel's eyes were closed, her lips pressed together, and her breathing heavy but rhythmic.

The zipper went lower until Luce saw Rachel begin to lose her composure. Running a finger up and down the path the zipper had descended, Luce asked, "Rach, sweetie, are you sure you are ready?"  
>Rachel slipped off the counter and stood facing Luce, their bodies pressed together. Several answers ran through Rachel's mind. <em>No! I'm not!<em> or _There's only one way to find out_. or _Trust me, you don't want to wait till I'm sure I'm ready_. But when she spoke, all that came out of her mouth was a whispered, "To hell with sure." She took Luce by the hands and added, "Sure is for people who don't love enough." With that, Rachel began to walk backwards ahead of Luce, leading her to the bedroom.

They walked through the bedroom door, not bothering to turn on the light. The room was faintly illuminated by the light spilling in from the hallway. Luce moved her hands to Rachel's elbows, switching their roles and leading the younger woman towards the bed. She sat Rachel down, then climbed onto the bed on her knees. Rachel reached out and began to unfasten Luce's vest. Her fingers trembled and she kept fumbling with the buttons. Taking notice of this, Luce helped her finish up, and started on the blouse beneath. With Rachel wearing only one layer which was already half open, Luce had some catching up to do. Shrugging off both the vest and blouse together, Luce was left wearing a sleeveless shirt. She shifted the attention from herself back to Rachel. Feeling encouraged by the darkness around them, she found the zipper pull once again and undid the hoodie in one fluid motion.

They sat facing each other, each of them lost in the other's eyes for several long seconds, not daring to touch for fear of breaking the spell. Eyes still locked, Luce reached under Rachel's hoodie, placed her palms against Rachel's bare back and lowered her down. She gazed at the girl she loved, almost in disbelief. Here they were, together. The intense feeling of affection grew within Luce, first swirling deep in her center, then growing until she could contain it no longer. Urgently, she pushed herself back to an upright position for the few moments it took her to remove her shirt. Rachel used the time to wriggle her arms out of the sleeves of her sweater and shove it off the bed. Luce placed her hands on the sheet, on either side of Rachel's shoulders and hovered over her. Rachel waited for a moment for Luce to lower herself, but quickly lost patience and wrapped her arms around her lover's back, pulling herself up. Luce was able to maintain that position, holding her own weight and Rachel's for the duration of one kiss before weakening and dropping down to the bed. The two women ended up side by side. Rachel pushed herself forward to get as close to Luce as possible, throwing one leg over both of Luce's and burying her face in her neck.

She took several deep and comforting breaths, reveling in their closeness. Without looking up, she murmured, "Luce. I have never done this before. This is so new to me."  
>"It's new to me, too," Luce whispered back. "Because I have never felt like this before." She caressed Rachel's curls and turned her onto her back, kneeling over her. Rachel reached up and began to undo Luce's belt, and seconds later the pants joined the other clothes on the floor. Luce pulled Rachel up to a sitting position, and they were face to face.<br>"Neither have I felt like this before," Rachel murmured as she wrapped her arms around Luce and unclasped her bra. Luce took Rachel around the waist and brought her close, helping her position her legs into a comfortable position. Their lips locked and their tongues slid against each other. Electricity flowed through Rachel's body, causing her to tighten her knees around Luce's waist.

Whatever was left of Rachel's anxiety melted away with Luce's caress. Being with Luce seemed like the most natural thing in the world. It was as if Rachel's whole life has been leading up to this moment, and this moment only. And it would be a memorable one for them both. She took Luce by the shoulders and pushed her back gently, climbing on top of her. Luce reached up and ran her hands down Rachel's back, back up along her sides, ran her fingers through Rachel's curls. Rachel had propped herself up on her elbows and was tracing Luce's eyebrows with her thumbs.  
>"This feels..." Rachel began. "This feels like nothing I've ever felt before."<br>She moved her hands lower and caressed her lover's lips, her cheeks, her jawline.  
>"It feels like my soul knows your soul, Luce. Like my soul has been longing for yours. I've never felt so... <em>complete<em>."

They brought their lips together once more and lost themselves in each other for the first time.

Luce opened her eyes to soft morning light filtering through the lace of the curtains. It took her a moment or two to figure out why she was feeling so wonderful. Her eyes settled on the most lovely sight she could ever wish to wake up to and all the emotions from the night before flooded her once more.  
>"Hi," she murmured to Rachel, who was already awake.<br>"Good morning, love," Rachel replied, wriggling her arm out from under Luce, flexing her fingers to get the blood flowing again.  
>"Sorry 'bout that," Luce chuckled.<br>"Shhh!" Rachel interrupted her. "You better not be."  
>Once the feeling came back to her fingers, Rachel made to lift herself, but Luce put a hand on her shoulder, pinning her down. She swung one knee over Rachel's leg and began to drop little kisses on her cheek, mouth, neck... Luce continued on lower and Rachel writhed under the soft touch of her lover's lips.<br>"Your kisses," Rachel whispered.  
>"What about my kisses?" Luce paused long enough to ask with a one-sided smile before continuing the row of kisses where she left off.<br>"Uh, I... hmmm. I don't know. You're not," she broke off in a giggle. "You're not letting me form... mmm... a coherent thought."  
>Luce scooted back up and lay facing Rachel. She took her lover's face in her hands and said, "What can I say? You're just going to have to get used to it."<p> 


End file.
